Construction Boom Drives American Oriented Strand Board Imports, Making Canadian Suppliers Benefit

IndexBox has just published a new report: 'U.S. - Oriented Strand Board (OSB) - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights'. Here is a summary of the report's key findings.

American OSB imports shot up due to the construction boom that has been seen in the country. The unprecedented demand for wood products leads to record hikes in prices relevant not only for OSB but also for the entire wood industry. Canada is the only major supplier of OSB to the U.S., holding approx. 30% share in the market. Canadian producers thus thrive from the American construction boom.

U.S. Imports of Oriented Strand Board

In 2020, after two years of decline, there was significant growth in supplies from abroad of oriented strand board (OSB), when their volume increased by 24% to 5.1M cubic meters. The volume of imports surges due to a boom in suburban single-family house construction being seen in the country since late 2020. This has already led to an unprecedented growth in demand for wood and wood products across the U.S. that boosts prices. This market trend affects OSB imports directly: in value terms, oriented strand board (OSB) imports soared to $1.7B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020, soaring by near 60% from the previous year.

OSB Imports by Country

In 2020, Canada (5M cubic meters) was the main OSB supplier to the U.S., accounting for an approx. 98% share of total imports. In value terms, imports from Canada totaled $1.7B. 

In Canada, over 65% of produced OSB is exported, with the U.S. being the key destination. Canadian OSB holds near 30% of the American market, and Canadian producers thus enjoy the secured position conditioned by the construction boom in the U.S.

OSB Import Prices by Country

The average oriented strand board import price stood at $342 per cubic meter in 2020, surging by 28% against the previous year. As there is only one major supplying country, the average price level is determined by prices for Canada.

In general, import price indicated a perceptible expansion from 2007 to 2020: its price increased at an average annual rate of +4.8% over the last thirteen-year period. Over the period under review, average import prices hit record highs in 2020 and are expected to retain growth this year and in the immediate term. 

Source: IndexBox Platform